Airplane brake



Allg,- 14 1945- F. IBARRA `AIRPLANE BRAKE Fild Junev 19, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l 00000000000000 QOOOOOCOOOOO y INVENT OR. BY fha/NK [543214 F. IBARRA AIRPLANE BRAKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19. v194.?.

,MMM ATTORNEYS inafterdescribed and claimed..

whereitmight get out of controLf. Y

Patented-Aug. 14, 1945 Application-June 19,

1942, serial No, 447,725

7 ciaimts;v (01.244-113).

- y .The present invention `lrelates to improvementsv in. an airplane brake, a` nd:it consists .of the com:

binat'ions', constructions; and arrangements here- "..Anobjectofmy inventionis toprovide anfairplane brake which has-airbrake flaps connected to the Lupper and lowensurfaoes of eaclinwing.

' theuSualr'airfbraRe Aofvwhioh.v I am aware,..the air :brake naps arealigned'with-the ailerons and exdownwardly;.intofbrakingiposition and'if care. is

notexercised'the plane Will` be stalledtoa point The principal Object .of my inventionis to prof vide air brakejflapsvwhich ,aremounted on; the

top and bottom,.o-.eachewine surface, andactuotf ing mechanisrnbymeans,.of which the flaps are gradually .opened 'Sonesta-.apply a braking foree which will increase ineffect and slow up themovef :nent .of thev plane while; fiat the., Same. .time permitting i211e pilot tomaintoirifeomplete control at.

oli `.iiiiies- The .oir .brake .11ans .are so mounted .es to permit Someioiiiie .oir 4to .eeeope during .the iiliiiei opening movement of. the 11ers; .This eliminates: any eli'dden-fbrokine vnotionbeinek .applied to the airplane, I l.found that better .resuitsere obtained whenth `flaps' are provided .with 1915.55.37

to nose over during .the applying o f theair brakes.

. The device may beY lis'edfon the forvvardwings or on the stabilizers disposedat the rear ofthe plane; It 1is possible to mount the air brake iiaps on both the forwardwing `surfacesfand v o rrtlie stabilizers and toppera'te them sctnat they' win open and yfclose, n'unisori. `The'f'le'vice is simple in co'nstruction and `folrl'sfinto astrearnlined corn'.- pactformwhennotinuse.

Otherobieets and advantage-.will eppearfin the, .following'speeiiieetioit end then' eifeatiires ofthe :deviee will be particularly poiiiiedoiitin theapoendeiielaime. i I 1 My'invention is illustrated ,inthe acgompa'znying diewiiies, formiriee neri .of fihi epplieoiiom in negre planner dei 'airtime fiorite my device "opereiireir relied, i to. the Wines' fand.

Figure v2 is aplanyiew.. of a portionlof one of ythe Wings showing the operatingmechanism onl a larger scale, aportion ofthe Wings being broken awayfto show the mechanism in fulilincs; Figure 3y is 'ase,ctionya1on'g the yline 3--3. of

Figure2.;= j y y Figure 4 is aview similar-.to Figure Band shows the air brake aps in fullvopen position; v

Figure 5 is a View l through a modiedform or theinvention;` 1 Figure 6 is a view-.similar1 to Figure 5 bui-showinethe portsinopen position; 1 f

Figure 7 `isa vievyof another modified'fform of the invention; and; Y 15 llliglirte .8 yiS a detail of Aportion-of the'deyice Shownin Figure if.

my invention, it should be understood thatvarious ehangee or modiiioeiioes moyr .be mode within the s cope4 of the appended claimswithout departing Afrom the spirit o f the invention. f f In .carrying `out myinventi n I make u seof an airplane which has a fuselage A, front Wings B', ystabilizers C, and a propeller D. Ih'e front wings have .the usual ailerons 137, While the'stabilize'rs have the usual elevators C'.l The airplane is also provided with arudder E.. These partsL are all standard and form no part of 'frny invention save insofar ,as they oooperate with rny invention now gotobedeseribed; The air brake is mounted onthe Wings B and also on `the' stabilizerC- Since the air'brakeis the same whether lit isniountfed' on the Wings lor on the stabiliera a' description of .the fone shown' on the wing B vWill suffice. vIn Figures 2, 3 and 4 I show the'.constructionv of the airbrjake' in detail. Iair briilrel ilap F is mounted on top of the wing Bjandis hingedl't'o the wing atl. A second nap 41i" 'isningei at'z to' the bottom of the. wine; The hinges .l ond 2 are erroneeeiinrertieoi alien# ment. igiirel 1 ,shows the Vair.bralniap F as extending'irom vthe aileron Bf to thefiuselage A. Ihe hinge l is placed in `advanoe o'f the trailing edge@ .0f $1.1? Wnf .It Will be iiotedlfromFig'ure 3 tiioifihe e -l 'Spaces' the ,reoredee .4 -o'f' the flap l F above he 'upper s uriaoe- 5 of the wingj Tte .forward Ledge e of the .oep is normally reoeived vloehintl afslioulderlormed on the upper wingsurface 5, see Figure 4. The Vilapwhen in eioeed :Position presents oeireeiiioed'eurfeee so the? the eir'wiil .flow @loro lthe.iipoei-eurfoo-e .5, en, overtiie ieper there@ F without enr. iefideiierof .opening the .iioe

f The same struct re i lused lou/,er nap F.

et' Here the .lower 'wirieeurfoeeifhoe ,Shoulder-1' While I have shown only the'preferred forni of closed position will not impede the normal flight 5 of the airplane.

I will now described the means for moving the naps from c-losed to open. position. In Figure 2 I show a screw shaft 8 that is journalled in bearings 9 and I0, see Figure 3. .A-sleevell with 10 internal threads is mounted on the screw shaft and carries a push bar I2. The free ends of the bar I2 have sleeves I3 that slide on guide rods |45'. the rods parallelling the screw shaft 8. The endsl Same aS the flaps F and F'. 0f the IOdS are Supported by structural members-i 15" I5 and I6 that extend along they-lengthyolflmtlieV` i wing. Links I1 are pivoted to the bar I2and to the flap F at I8.

screw shaft 8 in a certain directionfwillfmove `the sleeve II for causing `the bar tomove thelinks I.I. and `I9 .to swing the iiapsnF and F into "open: position. :The flaps .Fand F on both 'sides ofth'e fuselage A'are operativelyffconnected'- together 25 bybevelled gears 2I mounted on the screw shafts 8 and by bevelled" gears 1ZZthat-"are mounted on a connecting Ashaft 23. `The shaft?4 23fmay be manually rotated for actuating 'Jtheiap's or reversible electric motor 24 may bevoperatively con- 30.

nected to the shaft by bevelled 'gears 25; A switch, not shown, may-belclosedy byfV the pilot for operating the reversible Ymotor 'in the'desired direction for opening or closing'the flaps. W'

It will also be seenfroml Figure l1 that the stas 35 bilizers C have air brake flaps operativelyapplied to their upper and lower surfaces. The flaps `on the stabilizers are actuated in the same manner as the flaps alreadyk described. The bevelled gears 2I are connected to across shaft26by bev; 40

parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. 4 j Y l The flaps Flha've openings 3UA thereinwhich are fewer in number than the openings 3 I'in the flaps F'. More airwill pass through .the openingsiin the flaps F" than 'in' theflapsFlandJthls will tend to keep the plane frornhaving a` tend'-` ency'to nose over during'theophllg 0f the iiaps.'r 'I'he'openings 3Il'and 3Imareno't shownin Figure 4. When tlie pilot wishesftofapplythe brakes to the airplane he closes', the' circuit to the,

motor 24 which will start the'flaps to swinginto l5() open position. `The yinitial openingy movement will provide slots 32 andf32 between the` rear edges 4 and 4' and the adjacentmwing surfaces 5 and 5 through which fsomeof the'air will now. The brakinglfo'rce isgraduallyappliedldue 65 to this initial escape of` air. Asthje flaps con'-= tinue to open, `the slots `32 and,32f"a"re"gradually closed until in full open position v'as depicted in Figure 4 the slots 32and`t32" willfbe'entirely closed. vThe air brakes are-new"fully-applied* 70 and will bring the" airplane 'toga quick stop.'` The braking force can be lessened ata "eloynree versing the rotation of th'einotor a flaps to move towardV closedpo'siti In Figures-Standfer-show amo'dief mi or 76 y Additionallinks I9- #arefpivoted to the bar I2 and to the lower apF' at2ll. The construction is such that rotation ``of the `20 The motor 4U air brake where the flaps G and G are provided with streamlined rear flaps H and H'. The rear aps H and H are hinged at 33 and 33 to the rear edges of the naps G and G. The rear iiaps are hinged to the wing B by sliding hinges 34 and 34'. The mechanism for opening the aps G and G is identical to that described in operating the flaps F and F.

As the flaps G and G' are opened, the rear aps H andi-I will be swung in the. manner shown ir. Figure `6. The hinges-34 and34`f will vslide forwardly a slight distance during this movement.

-, 'I'he operation of the aps G and G will be the When the Iiaps G and jG are closed, the rear flaps H and H will havetheir. rear edges 35 and 35 contacting with the uppenand lower surfaces 5 and 5 of the wingB.` vvA'stre'amlined effect for the wing is provided in this way when the iiaps are closed. The flaps'G and G may be perforated in the same` manner-as the aps F .and F although-the ,perforations are not shownin; Figures 4 and 5. 1 yAnother modified form. of thelinvention is illustrated in Figures 7 andaSftInf-this form the flaps J: and J' are connected .tothe rear flaps K and K* by the frontfedgesand36of the rear aps, see FigureS,4 beingreceivedin slots 3l and 31 formedxat the rear edges ofthe iiaps J and J The hinges 38 and 38...corinecting.the rear flaps to thewing B are 'not oflthe sliding type as is true of the hinges34 Iand-31V.

The operation 0f the .formf of the invention shown in' Figuresv Irand l 8 is identicalrto that shown in Figures `54 and 6 exceptthat the forward edges 36 and'36 ofthe yrear-flaps will slide in the slots 3lv and 31 during the yopening and closing movement ofthefrontV flaps J and J Figure 'I illustrates the flaps J and J in full open position. When vthey arein'closed position, the rear "flaps Kand K willhave their rear edges 39 and 39.co`ntacting with' the wingB;

lIt will be-noted that vthe links IIand YI 9 extend through slots I1 and I9" inthe upperand lower wing surfaces.- These slots are closed by the flaps when the'flaps are in closed position.' The flaps F and F" atl the stabilizers 'Care provided with more openings Ain the ap IF thanfin' the ap F. However, if desired, the openings may be of equal number -in-botha'ps F and F'. `Iclaim: j f

1. Thecombination withan-airfoil surface, of a brake nap hinged 'near its re'aredg'e tothe surface, the yhinged axis being'spacedfrom the surface whereby thegfront edge of Athe 'flap contacts withfthe air foil surface when the 5iiap is in inoperative'position vand the rear edge is spaced away from the airfoil-surface a slight distance to provide a slot, and means for' swinging said ap into'open 'position and for holding the flap at any desired degree of"opening,-the slot remaining open during-the initial opening of the flap and permitting some o f the air trapped by the flap to escape, thereby causing the flap to apply ka braking force more gradually to the airfoil as the flap is 4gradually opened.` 2j The,combination with anairfoil surface, of abrakeflaphinged near its rear edge to the surface, 'the hinged axis being spacedffrom the surface whereby the front edge 'of they fla'pbc'ontacts with thelairtfoil surface'whe'nA .the flap isininoperative position and Athe rear edge is spaced away from the airfoil surface a slight distance to provide'a'slot, and means for swinging said flap into open position 'and for'holdingthe flap at any desired degree of opening, 'the slot remaining open during the initial opening of the flap and permitting some of the air trappedby the iiap to escape, thereby causing the flap to apply a braking force more gradually'to the airfoil as the flap is gradually opened, said flap having its edge to each surface, the hinged axes being spaced from thesurfaces so' that the rear edges of thel ,n

naps will be spaced away from the surfaces a rslightdistance to provide slots when the fiaps are in inoperative position, and means for swinging the flaps into open position simultaneously and for maintaining the'flaps at the desired degree of opening, the slots rremaining open during` the initial opening of the'aps for permitting some of the trapped air to escape and thus'gradually apply a braking force to thev airfoil during the gradual opening of the flaps.

4. The combination with an airfoil having two surfaces, of a brake flap hinged near its rear edge to each surface, the hinged axes being spaced fromthe surfaces sothat therear edges of the flaps will be spaced away from the surfaces a y slight distance to provide slots when the flaps are in inoperative position, and means for swingingr the flaps into open position simultaneously and for maintaining the flaps at the desired degree'of opening, the slots remaining open during the' initial vopening of the flaps for permitting someof the trapped air to escape and thus grad- ,ually apply a' braking force'to `the airfoil, said flaps having their rear e'dges swingable into conwhen the flaps are fully open, said flaps having perforations therein for permitting the escape of some of the' trapped air.

wings, of brake flaps hinged'near their rear edges the hinge axes being spaced rfrom thesurfaces so thatrthe rear edgesf'will be spaced from the wing surfaces when the aps are closed and form slots between the rearedges and the Wing surfaces,

and means for simultaneously swinging all of.

the brake flaps into open position so that the flaps will be inclined to the planes of the wing surfaces and cooperate therewith for receiving air andretarding the forward movement of the airplane, said slots remaining open duringthe initial opening of flaps'for permitting a portion of the trapped air to' escape and thus gradually applythe braking power tothe airplane, said slots .being progressively closed as the flaps are grad- 6. In a device of the typedescrbed, an airfoil having upper and lower surfaces vwith shoulders for receiving the front edges of wing naps, iiaps hinged at their rear edges to the upper and lower airfoil surfacesand normally lying in closed positionso-as to overlie portions of the airfoil surfaces with their front edges received in back of the shoulders, and means disposed within the airfoil for opening and closing vthe flaps, each portion of the air foil normally covered by the ap having a slot therein, said means including links pro-v Y jecting through the slots for actuating the naps.

7. In a device ofthe type described, an airfoil having 'upper and lower surfaces, naps vhaving tact with the airfoil surfaces'for closing the slots n 5. The combination with an airplane having ltheir rear edgeshinged to the upper and lower airfoil surfaces, each hinge axis being spaced from the adjacent surface whereby the rear edge of the flap is supported at a position away from the surface, rear flaps hinged to the rear edges of the first-mentioned flaps, hinges slidably connected to the upper and lower airfoil surfaces and to the rear naps, means for opening and closing the first-named flaps, the rear edges of the rstnamed aps being spaced from the airfoil surfaces when the flaps are closed and holding the FRANK IBARRA. 

